Thousands of Rotorua people will have to spend $2000 to $8000 to replace fireplaces that don't meet new requirements.
There are 7500 wood burners in Rotorua which don't meet the regulations aimed at reducing pollution in the city to acceptable standards.
The non-complying wood burners include wetback fires, pot belly stoves
and open wood fires, and the main problem is a combination of wet wood used in an old fireplace. New fireplaces are designed so they burn hotter which in turn causes less air pollution.
Owners will have until 2013 to replace them at an expected cost of between $2000 and $8000.
George Estcourt has a 15-year-old fireplace and the smoke from it and similar fireplaces is believed to be one of the main causes of pollution in Rotorua. He has bought two second-hand fireplaces with wetbacks but has been told he won't be able to use them as they don't meet regulations. Attention was drawn to Rotorua's pollution problem after new national air quality regulations were introduced in 2005. The city exceeds the air quality standards, forcing Environment Bay of Plenty to designate the city a Local Air Management Area. It needs to bring pollution down to the new standards by 2013. Air pollution, or particulate matter, is the very small particles suspended in the air. It is generally created by poor combustion in vehicles - particularly diesel vehicles - and by woodburning fires. The standards limit "particulate matter" (air pollution) to 50mcg per cubic metre of air and allow for one level breach per year.
Last year in Rotorua the standard was breached 25 times and there have been 11 breaches so far this year. High levels of pollution can have serious health effects including respiratory problems.
Mr Estcourt and his partner Marika Fritzsche moved into their Robinson Ave home six months ago.
Their fireplace does not meet the standards so he had planned to install a system connecting a wetback fireplace to a solar panel heating system.
However, under the new regulations his property is not big enough.
He has been told it needs to be at least 2ha before a wetback fireplace can be installed.
He will have to spend about $2000 on a new woodburner.
Environment Bay of Plenty and Housing New Zealand are trialling wood pellet fires in 10 homes in Fordlands as part of an initiative to improve air pollution.
If successful the trial will be expanded to 240 private and Housing New Zealand-owned homes as part of a three-year project. The regional council and Housing New Zealand have contributed $50,000 towards the cost.
Mr Estcourt said the Rotorua District Council or the Government should subside those needing to replace their fireplaces. Rotorua district councillors last week voted to support the trial in the 10 homes and will join the regional council in lobbying the Government about the "unobtainable" timeframe.
They also want the Government to subsidise those people in lower socioeconomic areas who will need to replace their fireplaces. They want the Government to consider the economic impacts on Rotorua industry.
Councillors are concerned about the short amount of time people have to get new heating systems and what would happen if industry did not comply by 2013.
Councillor Geoff Kenny described the timeframe as "more nonsense" and said expecting people to come up with $2000 to $8000 was just not going to happen.
"We can't clean the lakes in five years. How are we going to clean the air in that time?"
Environment Bay of Plenty environmental planning manager John Whale, who briefed councillors on the issue, said businesses would not be able to get resource consents if they did not comply.
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